Detectives investigating the death of the diver who died trying to recover $20million of cocaine in Newcastle have arrested a man 2200km away in North Queensland as he was allegedly trying to flee Australia.
James Blee, 62, was stopped by Queensland police and Australian Federal Police at Cairns Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Singapore on Wednesday afternoon.
The man has been charged with importing a large commercial quantity of border controlled drug and large commercial drug supply.
Blee was arrested following investigations by Strike Force Groove which was established by the NSW Organised Crime Squad after the body of a diver and 54kg of cocaine was located at Newcastle port, NSW, on Monday.
The team has been bolstered by officers from Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Northern Territory Police and Queensland Police.
The body of the man, who was wearing technical dive gear, washed up on Monday, with police suspecting he was using ‘old school’ smuggling tactics rarely used by modern drug syndicates.
The unidentified diver was recovered from the water along with more than 50kg of cocaine off Heron Road, alongside the Port of Newcastle.
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